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screpa · 1 year

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Your Steamy Birthday Celebration (Pt. 2)

Summary:

Your boyfriend Bertolt wanted to gift you three perfect days as your birthday gift. He asked Sasha to ask you about your kind of perfect day. Sasha managed to make you treat her and the girls (Mikasa, Krista, Ymir) to a girls' night out at the bath house. The guys - Jean, Reiner, Armin, and Connie – decided to help out but ended up embarrassing Bertolt. So, what did the gentle giant had in store for you?

Chapter summary:

You met Levi and Hange on your way to the headquarter, and you found Levi's kink. Bertolt had an awkward conversation with the guys of the 104th Cadet Corps.

Tags: slightly NSFW, mature, men having dirty talks and thought, boys being boys, funny.

Read here or on AO3, up to you ^^

Here's the 1st chapter if you missed it ^^

Dirty Boys

As you reached the headquarter, you saw Hange and Levi talking in the square. So you wished the girls goodnight and went to see your best friends.

‘Y/N! Where have you been?’ Hange asked to you cheerfully.

Levi just looked at you with his gloomy expression, as always.

‘Ahhhhh,’ You let out a relaxed sigh. ‘I just went to the bath house with the others’.

‘Ohhhh, nice. Should do that soon. Been a while. The place you went to, was it nice?’

‘Oh, yeah! They have separate rooms for each bathing process. So first cold wash, then the warm room, to get you all sweaty with all your pores open. Sweat pushing out all the grimes. Then a cold wash. Then into the first warm bath so all the grime and gunk become soft and easier to scrub off afterwards. Then scrub, scrub, scrub until all the dirt and dead skins are removed, like, really, nothing left! They gave you this beautifully scented soap to wash your body and hair, then another plunge to the warm bath. After drying, I apply this honey-based oil that’s so perfect for the skin’.

You rolled your sleeve and traced your index finger on your arm.

’See how soft, supple and clean my skin is. It’s like the skin of an infant’.

They both went closer to look at your arm.

You said worriedly, ‘Le– Levi. Your nose. Blood is dripping out of your nose!’

He touched his nose and saw that there was indeed blood trickling out of his nose.

‘Ah, uhm, I need to clean it up. In my office,’ he said flatly.

He started to walk away.

You told him, ‘Your office is in the other direction’.

He stopped. Looked at you in confusion.

You pointed to the right direction. ‘That way, Levi. There. Yes’.

He followed your direction.

You and Hange stared at him. He was walking differently. His balance was off.

He turned to the right and Hange screamed to him, ‘The left, Levi! To the left!’

Levi jolted and turned to the left when he was actually walking toward the right direction before that.

‘You’re directing him toward the pond, aren’t you?’ You asked Hange, still amazed at Levi’s reaction.

‘Yeap. A cold plunge would do him good now’.

‘Well, we finally found his kink’.

‘We finally did’.

Tomorrow’s the day. Bertolt had prepared his surprises. He had told you that you would spend this season’s holiday with him. He was grateful to Sasha and the other girls for getting the information he needed. Now, he just needed to deliver!

Bertolt was lying on his bed, with his legs up leaning on the wall. He making a mental checklist of what to do.

’Tomorrow’s the big day, huh?’ Reiner approached him. The others, Jean, Connie, and Armin, came to join him as well.

'Yea. Can hardly wait’.

Reiner said proudly, ‘well, we prepared some things for you too. To make the special day even more special’.

Jean gave him a sketchbook, some pencils and charcoal sticks. ‘Whenever she’s happy, she’d want to save the moment in her drawings. Connie chipped in too’.

‘Wow, thanks, man! Didn’t think of that’.

‘The least we can do for our Squad Leader,’ Connie said.

Armin scooted to the front. He held a book to his chest. He said in great excitement, ‘Reiner told me to find this book for you. It was difficult to find. I do hope that it’d be useful for you’.

Bertolt accepted the book. It was a thin, hardbound book with nothing written on the front and back cover. So, Bertolt opened the book right in the middle.

To his horror, it was a picture book of a man and a woman in various sexual positions.

Jean saw the pictures and tried to pull the book away from Bertolt, his brotherly instinct on high gear. But Connie and Armin pushed him aside to take a closer look.

‘Whoa! People actually do that?’ Connie asked in excitement.

‘Is it even possible to bend like that?’ Armin innocently pointed at one of the pictures.

‘Y-yes,’ Bertolt said in a whisper but no one heard him.

Armin told him, ‘There’s even this one position that is said to be fail proof’

‘Which one?!’ Connie asked.

Armin showed the picture and the two of them studied it.

‘Whoa, Bertolt, you should definitely try it. Even YOU can do this,’ Connie said in wonder.

Jean was curling on the floor, covering his ears, ‘STOP TALKING!’

‘Or, this one, Bertolt! Oh you’d look so cool like this. Muscles all pow, pow, woof!’ Armin added.

Reiner went to take a look. ‘Oh yea, that’s so masculine. I approve that one!’

These idiots really have no idea what they’re talking about, Bertolt thought. He just kept his head down, trying to contain his embarrassment.

Reiner then said with pride, ‘And, this is my gift to you’. He threw a small pouch on Bertolt’s lap.

Bertolt opened the pouch and saw something that looked like raisins.

‘So you chew that as you, uhm, perform the deed. It’ll help you to last longer. You wouldn’t want your inexperience to show,’ Reiner informed him smugly.

That’s it! Bertolt had enough!

He told them in contained annoyance, ‘Thanks for your help, guys, but really, I’m way past the stage where help was needed’.

They just stared at him. Jean looked up to peek at him.

’You? You’ve done it?’ Reiner asked in shock.

Bertolt looked down and nodded.

Connie and Armin jumped on him and shrieked.

'Tell us how it was?!!!’ Connie begged.

Armin showed the picture book to Bertolt, ‘Circle the ones you find most practical yet potent!’

‘AAAAAA…!!!!’ Jean continued to wail on the floor.

Reiner stood rigid in his place, dumbstruck because his timid friend had real action way before he did.

Bertolt firmly but kindly told them, ‘Guys, please, I don’t want to talk about this. This concerns the woman I love and the person all of you greatly respect. Please’.

All of them snapped back to reality.

Jean sighed in relief.

'You’re right,’ Armin sighed.

'Not even a little bit?’ Connie asked.

‘No. This is something that you need to experience yourself,’ Bertolt said, dismissing him.

Connie groaned. ‘Whatever, man. Guess we’d just wish you good luck and en-jooooy tomorrow then’.

He was so relieved when his friends left him alone.

He tried to sleep so tomorrow could finally start.

---

Let's go to chapter 3 where things start to get steamy!

This story is part the "Detours to Your Heart" series, comprises of stories of your friendship and slow burn romance with Levi Ackerman. You build many interesting relationships with other AOT characters, such as ambiguous friendship/ romance with Hange Zoe, a whirlwind romance with Bertolt Hoover, sibling-like relationship with Jean Kirstein, and many more!

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#bertolt hoover #bertholdt hoover #bertolt x you #bertolt x reader #aot bertolt #bertholdt x you #attack on titan bertholdt #reiner braun #armin arlert #connie springer #levi ackerman #hange zoe #attack on titan fanfiction #attack on titan #aot #snk fanfiction #snk bertholdt #aot fanfiction

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minervacasterly · 5 years

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With the Heart and Stomach of a King, She was a Rock that Bent to no Wind: How Queen Elizabeth I used her femininity to her advantage.

"Though the sex to which I belong is considered weak, you will nevertheless find me a rock that bends to no weak."~Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland, Governor of the Church of England and longest reigning monarch of the Tudor Dynasty.Translation "do not mess with this bad ass Queen B!"There are many quotes that you can find of Elizabeth I that are simply kick ass and help us understand what she was all about. She used her femininity and the status quo regarding women in power to her advantage and she was often pragmatic on issues of religion and foreign policy which ensured her a successful and long reign.That's not to say that she was flawless. Several historians have been critical of her policies, pointing out where she erred. However; we have to remember that we are looking at these events in retrospect, something that these figures didn't have the advantage of.Queen Elizabeth was born in September of 1533, known as Princess for less than three years before her father annulled his marriage to her mother so he could marry again and sire a son. Elizabeth's only defendant during her childhood years as a royal bastard was her half-sister, the Lady Mary who also became a bastard after their father annulled his union to her mother to marry Elizabeth's. Mary didn't get along with Anne but she came to love her little sister and it was thanks to her advocacy that she was brought back to court and given new clothes after she outgrew her old ones.Elizabeth Tudor had less than an ideal life after that. Relying on her words and silence to keep herself out of trouble and enemy lines. Sometimes she was successful, sometimes she wasn't but one thing is clear: Seeing queens, including her cousin and stepmother, Kitty Howard, fall and annulled, taught her a lot. In her biography on the Tudors and Stewarts and Kathryn Parr, Linda Porter states that it was Henry VIII's last wife that taught Elizabeth everything she needed to know about female power. Kathryn Parr used her intelligence, her love of books, fashion, and cordiality to make herself into a powerful figure that was eventually appointed Regent (the only other one of Henry VIII's Queens to be given that position besides Catherine of Aragon) during his absence.Fast forward to Mary I's reign. Edward VI's reign had been troubling for Elizabeth. Always a lover of fashion and cordial behavior, she soon learned how easy it was for someone to stain her reputation, even when she was an unwilling participant of Thomas Seymour's courtship.While some blame Kathryn Parr for letting this go, it is unclear just how far Thomas Seymour's attentions went. Sources, whether primary or secondary (written many years later and from supposedly eye witnesses accounts) suggest that it did go that far. Elizabeth would wake up earlier than her stepmother and her last husband so Thomas Seymour wouldn't sneak up into her bedroom. When Kathryn Parr died as a result of childbed fever, Thomas Seymour began to conspire against his brother and in no time he found himself in the Tower with a head short.Elizabeth was questioned along with her former governess, Kat Ashley whose husband reprimanded her for her encouraging Thomas Seymour's advances after his wife had died.It is unclear what role she had in the Wyatt Rebellion or in the Grey-Dudley Protestant Regime before that. One thing is clear though, her words were her shield and her silence, her most deadly weapon. By distancing herself from the Grey-Dudley regime, she convinced her sister that she wasn't her enemy. Indeed, she even played a major role during her coronation, riding on a carriage of silver trappings with their former stepmother, Lady Anne of Cleves. But come the Wyatt Rebellion, she was questioned and so where her servants. Elizabeth never forgave her sister for this transgression. It was Philip of Spain, Mary I's husband's intervention that saved her.One can only imagine the stress that Elizabeth went through being lodged in the SAME rooms her mother once was lodged in for her coronation and later during her imprisonment as she awaited her death. When Elizabeth got out she was put under house arrest and carefully watched.During Elizabeth I's reign there were rumors that Margaret Douglas was responsible for Mary I's treatment of her half-sister. It is unlikely that Elizabeth I believed some of her cronies who spread these rumors in an effort to tarnish the Countess of Lennox reputation. There was very little truth in them. Mary I's actions were her own but like her, Elizabeth I couldn't afford to put all the blame of her. A House divided was bad for business. When Mary I rallied the commons and her noble supporters against Jane Grey and her supporters, she laid the blame of Edward VI's actions at their doorstep (especially on John Dudley, given that he had no royal connections unlike Henry Grey who was married to her cousin, Frances Brandon). And Elizabeth I was angry with Margaret Douglas at the time for having conspired against her to wed her eldest son to the Queen of Scots, so she was going to use whatever weapons she had to levy them against her.Elizabeth I's view on Mary's actions can be best examined by what she told the Count de Feria when he visited her at Hatfield, where most of Mary I's court had gathered, eager to please their future queen. She told the Spanish Count that she owed nothing to her sister seeing as she had served her loyally and she (Mary) had rewarded her loyalty by accusing her of the most heinous crimes and locking her in the Tower.While Margaret Douglas rose through the ranks of favoritism after Elizabeth was cast out of Mary's inner circle, it is unlikely that Mary would have ever considered doing what her half-brother did. In spite of her reservations towards her sister, she knew that in order to keep their grandfather's legacy going, another Tudor had to take the center stage and the best way to achieve that was to allow a peaceful transition of power so Elizabeth was kept in the line of succession. On November of 1558, eight months after Mary I had made her will, Elizabeth I became Queen. Like one of her namesakes and her great-grandmother, it is said that she received this glorious news while she was under an oak tree and as soon as she was given the ring of state, she quoted one of the psalms."This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes."Elizabeth Tudor became the second Queen Regnant of the British Isles on Sunday, January 15th, 1559.he day began after Elizabeth made her way from the Tower of London, dressed in crimson parliament robes walking on blue cloth which had been laid for her all the way to the Abbey. The Spanish Ambassador, Feria, refused to be present but the Venetian Ambassador,Schifanoya was there and he reported everything he saw. According to him and other contemporary accounts, as Elizabeth made her way to the Abbey, there were stages erected for her that depicted once again her noble lineage through her father and his parents, and included Henry VIII’s collections of tapestries -especially one depicting the Acts of the Apostles based on the designs by Raphael. This symbolized the late Tudor monarch’s devotion and Bess further emphasized hers after she emerged from a curtained sector where she changed into her new clothes, and then was led by the Bishop of Carlisle to the stage where she was proclaimed Queen.The customary question was asked. If the people would like Elizabeth to be their Queen or not, and the people cried “Yea, yea!”. Then the trumpets sounded, the organs were played and the bells rang and Elizabeth and the Bishop descended to the altar where she knelt before it to hear the sermon and then took the oath.After this was said and done, she withdrew to the traverse to change for the final part in the ceremony, the anointing. She emerged wearing a kirtle of gold and silver. Prostrating herself before the altar, leaning on cloth of gold cushions, she was anointed on the shoulders, breast, hands, arms and forehead.Three crowns were placed on her head, after which she was completely arrayed in gold and to everyone who was there, she seemed indeed, seemed not human but like a golden figure, an icon, almost god-like as her father always tried to appear.Elizabeth ever the pragmatist, had intended to create a hybrid of the Protestant Church her brother had enforced on the population and the Marian Catholic reformed Church her sister had also tried to enforce. As Starkey explains:“It was now time of the coronation mass, which followed, with Elizabeth’s personally enforced innovations. The Epistle was read twice, first in Latin and then in English…. Then the bishop brought the Gospel. This too was read twice, in the old liturgical language and again in the Tudor vernacular, which has, to us, become almost as remote, beautiful as the Latin. Elizabeth now repeated her gesture of the day before and kissed the Bible -and, it is safe to guess, the English one.”Furthermore Jasper Ridley adds in his respective biography of Elizabeth:“After he [Bishop of Carlisle] had crowned her, a Mass was held in Latin; but the celebrant, her chaplain, spoke the words of consecration in English and did not elevate the Host.”The Coronation pardon was then given and the Queen traveled from Westminster Abbey to the Palace Great Hall to enjoy her coronation banquet. As she passed the great crowds, she greeted them with that same smile from her accession and it won them over again.Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland continued with most of her half-brother and half-sister's policies while expanding the Protestant agenda. As previously stated, in matters of religion, Elizabeth I took on a pragmatic approach, not wishing to voice her support of the Netherlands or the Dutch, or even the Huguenots in France since they believed in a Republican government and hardly recognized the authority of a King over his or her subjects. Her animosity towards John Knox, the infamous radical Protestant preacher in Scotland stemmed from his controversial pamphlets published in 1558, the year she succeeded her half-sister, in which he condemned female monarchy. While John Knox tried to justify his remarks by stating that his attack was an attack on Catholic female monarchs and other women in power, and not exclusively on her, Queen Elizabeth I didn't let him so easily off the hook and during the remainder of her life, he wasn't allowed to step on English soil.Elizabeth I however, recognized his usefulness against her royal cousin, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots and when the latter interests no longer suited her own, Elizabeth I covertly supported the Protestant lords and religious leaders against her.During her last years, Elizabeth I began to disagree more and more with these types of radical preachers. She saw them as dangerous to the institution of monarchy. Parliament's powers had been expanded with her father, and while she relied on them, the two often clashed. Most of her lords sympathized with these radical preachers and when Elizabeth I wanted to punish them by giving them a harsher sentence, they intervened, guaranteeing they wouldn't be executed or spent a long time in prison.Another area Queen Elizabeth I clashed with her subjects was on the issue of her royal cousin. Fiction often portray them as enemies and while they were, for some time, Elizabeth I seemed favorable to the idea of Mary, Queen of Scots succeeding her AS LONG as she married someone that Elizabeth I agreed with. She even sent her favorite, Robert Dudley but this option for Mary Stuart was too scandalous.Why?Because Queen Elizabeth I declared that the best way to ensure a happy union between the two was to move in with her. And as Anne Boleyn played by Natalie Dormer said in the Tudors, you can't have three people in a marriage. You just can't.Tired of waiting for a clear response, Mary, Queen of Scots accepted her other royal cousin's proposal to marry her eldest son, a handsome young man who was also a Stewart through his father and like Mary, descended from Princess Margaret Tudor via her second marriage to the Earl of Angus. The marriage as we all know, was disastrous and ended in tragedy. Mary was blamed for his assassination and in short time married one of his other alleged assassins, the Earl of Bothwell. Bothwell ended up abandoning her and her unborn children when the going got tough and when she was surrounded by enemies and former allies, she miscarried her twins and capitulated to her captors, abdicating in her son's favor.Queen Elizabeth I wasn't directly involved in King James VI of Scotland's upbringing but she received many reports regarding the young King. When the King heard of his mother's sentence, he appealed to the Queen in a way that didn't seem to side too favorable of her, but Elizabeth I ignored his request.In what has been described as one of Elizabeth's clever ways of excusing herself off her royal cousin's execution, she wrote to Philip II of Spain and other monarchs that she never intended for things to go this far and were it had been truly up to her, she would have never signed her execution warrant.The truth is, she did sign the execution warrant and she wasn't coerced or forced. Like with half-sister's actions, Elizabeth I's actions were entirely her own. However, her royal cousin's execution always haunted her. It was a difficult decision to make because she was one who valued royal authority above all else and this action set a precedent for future monarchs to be held accountable to their subjects. Elizabeth I's last years have been under heavy criticism. The truth regarding the Armada's defeat is as much clouded in mystery as it is in propaganda. In the first episode of her documentary series "British History's Biggest Fibs"; historian, Dr. Lucy Worsley describes how successful the Tudor regime was in pushing their agenda and having their version of events become the official story.In his book entitled "Armada", the late Garrett Mattingly aptly described the events based on primary sources, letters and other documents, that resulted in the disastrous Spanish navy's defeat. For one, the Spanish vessels were terribly large which made them slower. The English ships were poised to shoot everything that moved and wasn't English and given the horrible weather, it was easier for them to hit their target.During this time, Elizabeth I gave her most famous speech at Tilbury where she said that while she had the "weak and frail" body of a woman, she had "the heart and stomach of a King" and a "King of England" at that! Like her father, Queen Elizabeth was a good public speaker and like her mother, she was subtle enough to know how to handle foreign emissaries, promising them nothing and also denying nothing.As a lover of fashion, she knew the power behind it and used her public image to replace previously beloved religious figures among the Catholic population. It was during these years that she came to be known as Virgin Queen, and using biblical and classical imagery that compared her to Deborah, Esther, Athena, Artemis and Hera, she used her status as an unmarried woman to become a pseudo-religious icon.But not all was well in paradise. As she got older, her ladies and noblemen began to mock her and considered her efforts to become a nationalistic and religious symbol ridiculous. Some even went as far as to laugh behind her back and Elizabeth I responded equally by mocking them and humiliating them after they refused to obey her orders and tried to outshine her by wearing expensive bright colored gowns.Elizabeth I did her best to cope with loss as she had done with other obstacles. The loss of her longtime favorite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester affected her greatly and so did her stepson’s betrayal, Robert Deveraux, the Earl of Essex. Before she became 50, her councilors once again continued to pressure her into making a royal marriage and while she continued to make vague promises to would-be-suitors, it is possible she might have entertained a married life but decided against it. Entering marriage would have meant giving up most of her freedoms. It would have meant that the question surrounding female monarchy would have come up again, with some of her husband’s potential foreign allies ruling in his favor, or worse, once she had a male heir, he would have moved against her in the same fashion as Mary Stuart’s last two husbands.Elizabeth I always refused to name an heir. She always gave vague promises, and at times denied nothing nor promised anything, being as subtle as her mother and as you would expect a highborn lady to be. The reason why Elizabeth I never wanted to make her choice of an heir official, regardless of whom she favored at one point, was because she had seen how courtiers had flocked to her like vultures once they realized that her half-sister Mary I wasn’t going to live any longer. Elizabeth I was tired of political intrigue although she continued to fight the good fight and take on her enemies.It was also during her last years that she looked for new allies. Catherine de Medici was one of her strongest allies/rivals, someone who deeply admired Elizabeth. It is possible that Elizabeth I also admired her. What other foreign woman who’d been previously scorned and mocked had achieved so much in so little time following her husband’s death and her sons’ ascensions? As Charles IX became more insecure, Catherine convinced him to appoint her Governor of France. This gave almost unlimited powers, allowing her to give orders in her son’s name, in spite of the fact that he had reached his age of majority long time since then.But regardless of their personal feelings, they were always set these aside in favor of their position and (in Catherine’s case) their offspring.Catherine de Medici had no qualms to act against her enemies, especially her former daughter-in-law’s maternal relative, the Guises who went as far as to encourage Protestant lynching when Catherine sided with Huguenots, including one of their leaders, Jeanne III of Navarre. "... Catherine de Medici had every cause to regret the bull against Elizabeth. Her goal, after all was the reduction of tension, not its increase. On 8 August 1570 the Treaty of St Germain finally brought peace: freedom of conscience and freedom of worship limited to certain locations ..." (Sarah Gristwood, Game of Queens)The St. Bartholomew Massacre left a bad taste in everybody's mouths, including Queen Elizabeth I and her councilors. Mary, Queen of Scots' execution had been the catalyst for the Anglo-Spanish war. Following the end of the Valois dynasty and the end of the Bourbon with the late Jeanne III’s son, Henry IV, becoming the new King of France, France once again became England’s ally. Henry IV thanked Elizabeth I for her support but as time went on, he sided with the major Catholic powers forming a Holy League against Elizabeth I that sought to depose her and install Philip II’s eldest daughter, Isabella Clara Eugenia.Not cowed by her country’s forced isolation, she looked to the Middle East for potential allies. The woman who made this alliance possible was none other than Safiye Sultan. Like Catherine de Medici before her she had risen through the ranks due to being her husband (Murad III) chief wife and their son’s regent. And also like the former Governor of France, in spite of Mehmed III reaching his majority, she was still an influential figure who refused to let go of her position as her son’s consultant and adviser. She greatly admired a woman like Elizabeth I who used her single statues to bolster her image, and present herself as a virtuous, nationalistic and religious icon and an ideal substitute for the Virgin Mary -a figure whose cult had been very popular in England. When Elizabeth I became frustrated with her son, she wrote to her mother knowing that Safiye was the true power behind the throne. The two women exchanged gifts and letters, with Safiye congratulating Elizabeth for her victories and he gracious behavior towards her.“…both Murad III and Mehmed III’s reigns notoriously, was ruled mainly from the harem. Elizabeth had employed very similar tactics on Barton’s advice six years earlier in 1593, using Safiye as her intermediary in an attempt to influence the direction of the Hungarian war. At that time, her letter had been accompanied by a few handsome gifts, paid for by the Levant Company. These consisted of a ‘jewel of Her Majesty’s picture’ (possibly a Hilliard miniature) set with rubies and diamonds, three great tilt plates, ten garments of cloth of gold and a very fine case of glass bottles, silver and gilt.” (John Guy, Elizabeth I: The Forgotten Years)Elizabeth I spent her last years looking back at her triumphs and failures, ridding herself of potential rivals and refusing to assure her councilors of anything that would reflect her personal opinion regarding who her successor should be. But she must have sensed the end as she once again saw the courtiers beginning to flock to James VI of Scotland, eagerly waiting for her to give her last breath.Elizabeth I sponsored many artists and play writers, including the famous William Shakespeare whose plays greatly contributed to the English language and gave us many phrases that we still use today. One of her favorite plays was Henry V because of the character of Falstaff. She found him the most likable of all of the play's characters. Like one of her ancestors, she began to identify with Richard II whose excesses led to his deposition and was the catalyst behind the wars of the roses that ended with the destruction of the Houses of Lancaster and York and the Plantagenet Dynasty.At she was quoted to have said: “I am Richard II, know ye not that?”Elizabeth I didn't like the way Richard II had been -and still was- portrayed and her opinion might have influenced Shakespeare to make him into a pitiful character.Besides considering his treatment of his subjects unjust, there was another reason why she might have identified with Richard II. Like her father, she firmly believed in the divinity of Kings and took her role as Head of the Church seriously. When she was told her sister had died and was presented with her royal ring, she quoted one of the psalms, saying that “this is the lord’s doing and it is marvelous before our eyes.” As God's representative on Earth, an act against her was an act against the Almighty. And also like her father, she shared his dislike for those who questioned royal authority. Despite the various plots and opposition against her, Elizabeth I endured but she knew her time was coming and she prepared for it. On February 1603, she settled her affairs regarding her officials in Ireland, ensuring that the next monarch would have complete control of that Isle and that there would be no more disruptions from Catholic rebels or rogue officers. Nevertheless, she refused to appear weak before her ministers insisting that nothing was wrong with her.On the 24th of March 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died at Richmond Palace at the age of sixty nine. Ironically it was the same place her grandfather and founder of her dynasty had died ninety three and eleven months earlier.Elizabeth I’s Funerary Procession took place a month later, on the 28th of April. She was carried from Whitehall to Westminster Abbey where she was laid to rest on the Lady Chapel.“It was an impressive occasion: the hearse was drawn by four horses hung with black velvet, surmounted by a life-sized wax effigy of the late Queen, dressed in her state robes and crown, an orb and scepter in its hands; over it was a canopy of state supported by six earls.” (Alison Weir, The Life of Elizabeth I)“Westminster” Chronicler John Stow wrote, “was surcharged with multitudes of all sorts of people in their streets, houses, windows, leads and gutters, that came out to see the obsequy.” After the Mass had ended, her household servants broke their white staves and tossed them at her tomb to symbolize the end of their allegiance.Truly, it was a sight to see and also a reminder than it was the end of an era. Gone were the days of the Tudors, now it would be the Stuarts who reigned.She was buried at the Lady Chapel that Henry VII had ordered be built for himself and his descendants, at Westminster Abbey. It was in this place where her paternal grandparents and great-grandmother and half-sister were also buried.Three years later, King James I decided to rebury her in a different vault and honor her memory by building a magnificent burial. Unfortunately, this monument didn’t include an effigy of the Queen’s sister, Mary I who was reburied with her.The plaque on her tomb reads the following:“Consorts both in throne and grave, here we rest two sisters, Elizabeth & Mary, in hope of our resurrection.”Queen Elizabeth I remains one of the most celebrated figures in English history and considered one of the best monarch in world history. Often she will be reduced to a mere caricature in which she is either an angelic figure who could do no wrong or thrown off that pedestal it in favor of the other extreme that depicts her as Europe's greatest prostitute or as a boy. The "Bisley Boy" legend was first popularized by none other than Victorian and Gothic writer, Bram Stoker. Bram Stoker was fascinated by the legend and took it seriously. A few years ago, a mystery writer said that it was possible she could have been a man and what was his reasoning behind this?Nothing, except the usual "she didn't get married and she never had kids with her favorites". Here's a thought for these people: Do some research! Read the primary sources and then read well-researched books by historians and biographers who've also written extensively on this topic.In Anna Whitelock's biography on Queen Elizabeth I's court, "The Queen's Bed", she quickly debunks this bogus story by offering us an insight of what court life was like. Just think about it.Elizabeth I was surrounded by women day and night. As Queen Regnant, she was dressed by her ladies and undressed by them. She was even attended during her bath. Don't you think some of them would have noticed she was a man if indeed she was? I know people love a good conspiracy once in a while but come on!Also, just because she didn't get married and possibly wasn't intimate with her favorites, doesn't mean she was a man. Her reign was unique given that she refused to marry, but given her past experiences and how England wasn't (fully) used to the idea of female monarchy, we can see why she chose to take this route.Elizabeth I's reign continues to fascinate many people and it is proof that sometimes the impossible can become possible.She became Queen when she was twenty five years old. Her reign lasted forty-four years, outlasting that of her father and the other Tudors.Known as “Glorianna”, “Good Queen Bess” and “the Virgin Queen” for her refusal to marry, she also had one colony in North America named after her. She is the third longest female monarch in English history and to some, one of the most important women in history. In his biography on Elizabeth I, David Starkey says that what differentiated her from her sister was that while Mary “aimed for a heavenly crown; Elizabeth aimed for an earthly one.”Sources:1. Elizabeth: The Struggle for the Throne by David Starkey2. The Life of Queen Elizabeth I by Alison Weir3. Game of Queens by Sarah Gristwood4. Elizabeth I: The Forgotten Years by John Guy5. Tudors vs Stewarts by Linda Porter6. Katherine the Queen: The Life of Katherine Parr, Henry VIII's last Wife by Linda Porter7. The Queen's Bed: An Intimate Account of Elizabeth's Court by Anna Whitelock8. Tudor by Leanda de Lisle9. The Private Lives of the Tudors by Tracy Borman

#Tudor #history #Queen Elizabeth I

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yodawgiherd · 5 years

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New Year's Eve

Rating : T

>>>Read on AO3<<<

2018 was fun, so let's hope that 2019 will be even better ( and maybe some happiness in the manga amongst all the angst? please? ) I do hope that y'all enjoyed the celebrations and holiday! And thank you for sticking this long with me. ;)

Enjoy!

As it is with most of the good things in life, even this time of peace they enjoyed together had to end.

“I know I said that you can most likely take the week off,”, Erwin was saying, a hint of an apology in his voice, “but we are really shorthanded, and we need everyone able. So, can I count on you?”

Eren’s eyes flew over to meet Mikasa’s grays, and he offered her a shrug. Judging from the pout that formed on her lips, she knew almost instantly what he was implying. He sighed.

“Of course, sir. I’ll be there right away.”

He hung up, coming to the couch, where Mikasa was sitting, the movie they were watching on pause in front of it.

“I’m sorry.”, he said, “but..”

“It’s fine.”, she shook her head, giving him a smile, “This is important, I know. Just go.”

After leaning in to get his goodbye kiss, Eren pushed himself away and shrugged on his jacket, only pausing in the door to call the classic “I love you!”, before leaving. Sure, relaxing was nice and all, but when the hospital needed him, he would answer. Always.

Arriving at his destination after a drive through the city, which was admittedly less clogged than he expected, Eren was greeted in the break room by no one else but Ymir, bleary eyed and obviously tired.

“Not resting?”, he asked, watching her empty her coffee in a single gulp.

She shook her head.

“Krista was needed in the archives, so I just said to myself, fuck it, what am I going to do home alone.”, Ymir let out a long exhale, “Best decision of my life. Really.”

“Well, don’t worry, I am here to save you now, fair maiden.”

“Oh, there is more than enough work for both of us, brave knight.”, she stood, throwing away the plastic cup and stretching, “Get changed, we have a lot of shit to do.”

Eren saluted.

“Yes ma’am.”

It turned out that Ymir was right, as usual, and basically as soon as he reported in, there was a patient waiting.

“Firework accident.”, the nurse was reading from the card in a monotone voice. “Hand injury, removal of fingers.”

Seems like some people were starting early with the new year celebrations, as it was still a few days away. Eren clicked his tongue, leaning in to inspect the wound up close. Luckily, the patient was sedated, asleep, so he could do his work in peace. Nurse already cleaned most of the blood away, so he could clearly see that the damage was bad, but not as bad as he feared. Two of his fingers, index and middle ones, had to go, that was for sure, there was no way to save them. But with a bit of luck and some stitching Eren was confident that he could save the patient’s thumb. Nodding to the nurse, he got to work.

Few hours later, he was already working on someone else, picking out lead balls from the intestines of an unfortunate thief who picked the wrong house to break in, and got greeted with a shotgun to the gut. He didn’t even notice that the day outside turned into evening and was slowly but surely progressing to the night.

Working at the archives wasn’t bad, and most of the time Krista enjoyed it. Some people could surely find it boring, just sitting in a small office next to the records, endlessly solving problems over e-mails or answering requests for specific files to be picked out. But she liked it. She could work at her own pace, do stuff her own way, as long as she did everything that was asked of her. So far, there wasn’t a single complaint recorded about her work. It was fair to say that Krista did miss human interaction, from time to time, as most of her shift she talked to a computer. Modern age had its perils.

Checking the clock on the wall, she could see that her shift coming to an end, and with basically all her work done for today, she had some time to sit back and relax, a luxury that Ymir just a few rooms away surely couldn’t afford. Krista reclined back in her chair, closing her eyes, and allowed her mind to wander, just for a few minutes, she promised herself. No more dozing off, damn it. The stream of her memories carried her back to the Christmas eve, and the night that followed, an event she thought about a lot, lately. They were both a bit tipsy, and Ymir still probably had the need to prove that she really did love her after that gift. Honestly, Krista wasn’t lying when she said that she loved the sweater. It was funny, and something that would always remind her of Ymir, any time she looked at it. But her girlfriend thought otherwise, and it translated into an amazing night, one that Krista blushed about when she recalled it. Ymir was so rough with her back then, pinning her down to the mattress, whispering all those dirty things to her ear while holding her down, it was ….. intoxicating. In her office, Krista bit her bottom lip, sliding a hand into her hair, remembering all those spicy details. In short, she loved it, and would go for it again, but Ymir usually wasn’t like that. Most of the time she was gentle, despite her brash nature, and careful. Maybe, Krista thought, maybe I should speak to her about it. Tell her to lose up a bit, to roughen up. Maybe…

She shook her head, straightening in the chair, forcing the pleasant feeling down before it overcomes her. Krista really had no intention of being caught with her hand in her pants, that would be beyond awkward. But the decision to say something to Ymir when they are home again remained. After all, what was there to lose? Satisfied with her own thinking, she moved her attention back to work, finishing up the little details. There was no rush, was there?

“Seriously, what’s eating you?”

Levi looked up from the bills, watching Hange take a seat across the table.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ve been acting strange for some time now. Come on, tell me!”

“You’re just imagining things.”, he waved his hand, hoping that she’ll take it as a cue to leave, “I was always like this.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.”, she made no move to leave. Not like he expected her to give up that easily, but man can hope. “There’s something…”

She couldn’t know, there was just no way. Still, under her piercing gaze, Levi had to fight the urge to pocket his phone that was lying innocently next to him on the table. He was pretty sure that if he would unlock it, Petra’s number would still be ready to dial, but the green button never pressed. He forced himself to calm down. She’s just guessing. Easy. Just keep your cool.

“You probably injected yourself with some virus over at that shitty lab of yours.”, he said in his usual bored voice, looking back to the paperwork, “If you die, I expect some part of your things as heritage.”

Still scanning him, Hange stood up, making her way towards the exit.

“And where are you going?”, Levi frowned. She just came here, didn’t she?

“Just going to make some changes to my last will and testament, nothing serious.”, and with a mysterious smile, she was gone.

No, there was no way she could find out about his dilemma. None. With a feeling of uneasiness, he just couldn’t chase away, Levi did his best to focus back on the bills, letting the rows of numbers devour him. At least the new year party was just few days away. He can unwind there.

Sasha wheeled herself into the room, slamming the door closed behind her. On the other side, Connie let out a long groan, and she could hear the chair scraping as he sat down at the table. She pressed her forehead against the cool wood, mentally cursing herself. Their fights were getting worse, and it was entirely her fault. She was more and more angry, at herself really, but she kept letting her rage out on Connie, who was completely innocent. But what was she supposed to say?

“Hey, you remember the girl who shattered my spine? Well, we started talking and she randomly came to my house, and robbed my wallet, whoopsie. Want some cake?”

Yea, right, that’s not going to work. She was so stupid, it was astonishing. Sasha, why don’t we trust the obviously homeless thief and invite her in? Oh, but what a splendid idea Sasha’s brain, lets get right on it! Most of the time, she just wished she could forget about it all, and move on. But some part of her kept clinging to the memories. The look in Gabi’s eyes, the way she apologized to her… Of course, she was most likely just acting, and Sasha was eating it all up. The dumbass she was.

And now she was poisoning her relationship with her amazing boyfriend, who was nothing but supportive, and was now blaming himself because he thought that she was angry about the fact that he had to leave on Christmas. To meet a man they needed for the bar, which was her idea in the first place. Taking a deep breath, she opened her laptop, and opened a supplier list, hoping to get lost in the work for a time. Whatever the new year would bring, Sasha hoped that it would be better than this one.

“I think I want to talk to her.”, Armin said, mentally dreading the answer from his therapist.

Hitch was silent, and the only thing he could hear was her tapping the notebook with her pencil.

“And what do you expect from it?”, she asked, most likely trying to decipher the motive behind his sudden decision.

“Closure, I guess.”

“The silence from her part could be considered closure. Perhaps she doesn’t want to see you again. I’m not saying that’s the case,”, Hitch shifted in her chair, “but are you prepared if it is?”

“I think so, yes.”, Armin’s eyes traced the ceiling he knew so well, after so many sessions, “Even if she really doesn’t want to see me anymore, as long as I’ll hear her say it, I’ll understand.”

“Well, it’s been over two months, if you really think you are ready, I won’t discourage you. It is an important decision however, so I’d advice that you sleep on it a few times and see how it goes. Maybe after the new year?”

“All right.”, he chuckled, “Sounds like a great start to a new one.”

Maybe It would be his last conversation with Annie in his life, but for some reason, he was looking forward to it, whatever the outcome.

Thinking back, Eren was sure that he didn’t expect to spend the last day of the year at work. But here he was, sitting across the table from Ymir, having a silent staring contest. They had the day shift, from morning all the way to evening, so just a few hours back he had to wake up, untangle himself from Mikasa’s warm embrace, and drive through the city to relieve Onya, who worked the night.

“At least we’ll get to the party.”, he said, trying to lighten Ymir’s mood.

She snorted.

“We’ve been here most of the last week, we deserve it.”

She was correct. The last few days Eren felt that the only thing he did was work, drive home, fall asleep, and repeat the circle.

“And we’ll be late anyway.”, Ymir pointed out, adding insult to injury.

“We’ll be there for midnight, that’s the most important part.”

“Right, whatever.”, she cracked her knuckles, looking left and right, before leaning closer. “I need to ask you something. Have you talked to Krista lately?”

“Uhm, can’t say I have. Why?”

“She’s been acting… strange.”

“Strange how?”

“Fuck, I don’t know. Strange!”, Ymir sat back, crossing her arms, “Giving me weird looks and shit.”

“Maybe she just finally noticed how ugly you are.”, Eren stroked his chin, thoughtful, “And is figuring out the way to leave you.”

“Very funny Yeager.”, she stood up, throwing him a very ugly look, “Go fuck yourself.”

“Hey, I was just joking, you know that, right? Ymir?”

But she already stormed out of the door. What the hell was wrong with her? Well, maybe Eren could decipher it at the party, it was just a few hours away anyway.

It was going pretty great, all things considered. From her perch at the bar, Mikasa could see that there was tension written in the bodies of her friends, especially Connie and Sasha, but they put up a friendly face for the guests. Levi also looked like he was in serious need of relaxation, and Krista and Armin seemed to be thinking about something, only paying half a mind to their surroundings. Other than that, it was amazing. Onya arrived, and once again became the heart of the party, with Hitch and Jean for support. Carla seemed to having fun, talking with Hange, who for once wasn’t writing in her notebook. Miracle, really. As the night progressed, Eren and Ymir finally appeared, and she made sure to kiss her boyfriend in a place where Levi could see them, just to enjoy his disgusted grunt. It was the little things that made her happy.

“Eren?”

With a start, he woke up from his micro sleep, realizing that he was sitting at the bar with Armin next to him. Fuck, he was tired. The shift drained him more than he expected, and all he wanted now was just to go home and fall asleep in his bed. Nah, he wouldn’t ruin the party like this. Right, Armin asked him something.

“Yes?”

Nailed it.

“I wanted to talk to you.”, his blond friend said, the smile on his face suggesting that he very much knew about Eren’s battle against his tiredness.

“What about?”

“I’m going to Annie’s house tomorrow, to speak to her.”

“Oh.”, well that was sudden, “Want me to come with you?”

But Armin was already shaking his head.

“Nah, I have to do this on my own. There’s something else though. I wanted to ask…”, he fell silent for a time, probably looking for the right words, “When you and Mikasa broke up, how did you come back together?”

“Oh man, I don’t know what to tell you.”, Eren scratched the back of his head, “There’s really nothing to say.”

“Is it that personal?”

“No, not personal, but there just isn’t any secret. We just…. reunited, that’s it. The moment I saw her again, I knew I don’t want to live without her. It was just too painful.”

“Just like that huh.”

“Yea.”, Eren shrugged, “Just like that.”

“All right well, I think I’ll let you sleep in peace now. Thanks for the advice.”, with that, Armin stood up, leaving Eren with only his heavy lids as companions.

Alone again, Eren decided that he can’t win this duel, and made his way over to where Mikasa was sitting, taking a break from the socializing. She smiled when she saw him approach, his little sun. Fuck, he loved her so much.

“I’m tired.”, he blurted out, falling on his ass next to her.

With a grin, Mikasa patted her lap, and he took the invitation immediately, laying his head down on her thighs. This was just perfect, there was no other way to describe it. Her fingers started combing through his hair, playing with the strands, and Eren was slowly but surely falling asleep, completely obvious to the music or the party around them.

“Miki?”, he murmured, already half gone.

“Hmmm?”

“Why do we…fit?”

“What do you mean?”, there was a slight confusion in her question.

“Armin asked me how we got back together after our… break. And I told him that I have no idea, that it just happened.”

“Well, you are right,”, she giggled, “it did just happen.”

“But that’s just the thing. The time without you was just so painful, both physically and mentally, that when there was only the slightest chance that I can have you back, I jumped right on it.”, he yawned, “Isn’t it weird?”

For a while, she just stroked his hair, and Eren thought that he’s going to fall asleep before she spoke again.

“I like it.”, she finally said, tugging the strands away from his face, “It’s like a deeper, more intimate love. Maybe we really are soulmates.”, she blushed a bit, praying that he was too tired to notice, “The…things we do together, I can’t even imagine doing them with someone else. I wouldn’t want to.”

Cheesy. But he liked it. He liked her. Closing his eyes, he let himself drift off, hoping that Mikasa will wake him for the midnight drink. That was way too important to miss.

A hand on her shoulder woke Ymir up, blinking into the lights. Where was she again? Oh right, the bar. Drinks and exhaustion really didn’t mix well together. Looking left and right, she could see that it was no one else but Krista who woke her, and she allowed herself to smile.

“Hey baby, having fun?”

“I’d be having more fun if my girlfriend wasn’t sleeping.”, she sighed, “But other than that, its great. Eren fell asleep on Mikasa’s legs, so now when I talk to her she keeps stroking his hair, like a Bond villain stokes his cat. It’s funny.”

“Oh really.”, Ymir fought back a yawn, “Sounds great.”

Krista slid on the bench next to her, leaning so close that their foreheads were almost touching. At first Ymir thought that she’s going to kiss her, but then she realized that she was whispering to her.

“I wanna talk.”

“Okay..”, tiredness can wait, Krista wants to talk. Work, brain. “Shoot.”

“Do you remember Christmas?”, seeing Ymir nod, she continued, “And the night after?”

Confused, Ymir nodded again. Krista was blushing furiously, but pressed on, really wanting to get this off her chest. She took a deep breath.

“Ijustwannasaythatilikeditandwouldliketodoitagain.”

“Ehm… Slower please?”

“I liked it, when you were…rough. I’d like to do it again. If its okay with you. Of course.”, she wasn’t looking at her, probably too embarrassed, and her eyes remained focused on the table, “I want to try things, things I never done with anyone. Because I trust you. So, what do you say?”

“What do I say?”, Ymir grinned, wrapping an arm around her shy lover’s shoulders, “I say that if I wasn’t so god damn tired, I’d take you home right now and show you just how rough I can be.”

“Its okay.”, Krista did look up, reaching out and running her fingers over Ymir’s cheek, “We have all the new year to experiment.”

The kiss was soft, almost in contradiction to her previous statement, but Ymir wouldn’t complain, that was for sure. She loved it either way.

Despite his best efforts, Levi was having a pretty good time. That was, until he ran into a very familiar red-haired girl.

“Hey Levi, long time no see.”

Petra. What the hell was she doing here? Levi could feel all his motor functions freezing, with his having no idea what to do. How did she know? Did she come because of him? Was it a coincidence? No fucking way. He had to get out of this conversation, solve this problem. Now.

“Hi, Petra. Having a good time? That’s great, but I gotta run, talk to you later.”

With that, he turned on his heel, all but running away from her. Hange. It had to be her doing. Angry, really fucking pissed, he found her, gripped her arm and dragged her away from the surprised Carla, finding a corner with no one else in it.

“What the fuck did you do?”, he spat out, pressing her against the wall. For all his aggression, Hange was still completely calm, watching him over the rim of her glasses.

“What did I do?”

“Petra!”, he had to fight the urge to shake her, to do anything to get any reaction out of her. “You invited her here, didn’t you?”

“I did.”

“Why!? You had no fucking right.”

“Excuse me?”, she twisted her arm free of his hand, still completely unmoved, “I have no right to invite a nice young lady I met to a party?”

“That’s not what I mean.”, Levi took a step back, rubbing his forehead. His anger was dying down, replaced by confusion.

“Levi.”, Hange put a hand on his shoulder, “I’ve been watching you stare into that phone of yours for hours in the last weeks. So yes, I took some steps to help you.”

“Help me?”, he laughed, “How does this help me?”

“Well, if you manned up for a change, you could go and talk to the girl. Or you can just keep your head in the sand. I gave you the option, if you take it is entirely up to you.”

Hange squeezed past him, returning to Carla, and Levi was alone. Screw it, he needed to calm his nerves. Slipping out of the door, he lit up a cigarette, exhaling the smoke against the dark sky. This party just took a turn for the worse, that was for sure. The door creaked, and a figure came to stand next to him, watching the stars. Levi didn’t even need to look to know who it was.

“I’m sorry.”, Petra said, breaking the silence.

“For what?”

“I shouldn’t have come. You obviously don’t want me here.”, she hugged herself, maybe against the cold, “I’ll leave.”

“No, don’t.”, fuck that sounded rushed. “I mean, don’t leave if you don’t want, you’ve done nothing wrong. I’m just acting like an asshole.”

He could hear her chuckle next to him.

“No change from college then.”

“Yea.”, he took a drag from the cigarette, “Still the same.”

Silence. Stretching.

“You… uhm… Why did you act like you didn’t know me? Back at the photoshoot.”

“I guess for the same reason you did.”, Petra shrugged, “I didn’t even know if you remembered me, it was some years. So, I waited, but you didn’t say anything, so I just rolled along with it.”

Great, so they were both acting stupid.

“Levi,”, she began, “why did you leave like that, back in college. One day you just stopped showing up for classes, cut all contact, moved away from the dorm. You even changed your phone number. Why?”

“I guess I wanted to leave that life behind. I had to start working, full-time, there were…. circumstances I couldn’t predict. It forced me to change the way I lived.”

“Always so secretive,”, there was a ghost of smile on Petra’s lips, “will you tell me about those circumstances?”

“Sure, but not today. How about we meet tomorrow?”

She wouldn’t look at him, and he wouldn’t look at her, but together, watching the sky, they felt an understanding between them, one they both wanted so much.

“Sounds great.”

There were fireworks outside, and those who wanted to see went out of the bar, the lights illuminating their faces. Midnight was just passing, according to Eren’s phone, and he made sure that he shared this year’s first kiss with the only woman he loved, ignoring Armin’s pained groaning. Mikasa’s lips molded into his perfectly, and it did remind him of the first times they kissed. Frankly, they both sucked at it, since it was their first time, but together, they got better. With her, everything was better, really. Ymir followed his example, as did some other couples, but not Sasha. She looked at the lights, a new goal forming in her mind. She would find Gabi, she would make her talk. Whatever the cost, she’s going to get to the bottom of this. That was her New Year’s resolution. Wherever you are hiding, Gabi, she swore, I’ll get to understand you.

#eremika #fanfic #snk #happy2019

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jaceconflagratio · 6 years

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Happy Christmassssss.

FROM YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURHOOD DRAGON!

Where I grew up we didn’t celebrate Christmas exactly, but we DID celebrate the shortest day of the year. We would chase the darkness away with lots and lots of fire! And we would chase each other all around the sky and the air would be full of all my brothers and sisters! So for all of you here are some dragons to chase each other around and into your bellies! MMMMMMM!

For Miss Daisy, here is a lucky talisman! A shaman gave it to me a loooong time ago and it lived in one of my secret stashes for a long long time! I hope you like it. @daisyxlynch

For Darling Dakota, here is A TELESCOPE! I was not exactly sure what you would like BUT you like the outdoors and this is pretty! I found it when I was going through my collections. It is about three hundred years old I THINK??? So I don’t know if it still works. It might not. BUT UM THEN IT WILL BE A PRETTY DECORATION? Anyway I hope you like it! Happy Christmas! @xdakotawintersx

For Mister Damien! Books! I made them! One of my bestest friends ever taught me how to make these back when they were making all the porn in China. And he also taught me how to paint! Soo I made the covers too! I hope you like them :D You can draw tattoos in them! Or! Whatever you like! :D @xdamienblackx

Mister Rude Butt! This is not a present it is a trade. These are for us to play with. FOR US. Because I want a playdate I have felt TERRIBLY TERRIBLY NEGLECTED THIS SEASON BY YOUUU. Anyway I hope you had a good Christmas anyway mister RUDE BUTT and if you want me to stop CALLING YOU MISTER RUDE BUTT you better come beat that CHEEKINESS out of me hmmmm? SEASONS GREETINGS HAPPY HOLIDAYS LOVE YOU MISTER RUDE BUTT! @masterdominick

Miss Frankie! A little birdie told me that you collect old coins! And I JUST SO HAPPEN TO HAVE SOME! This is just one but it is I THINK the oldest one. I got this when I was a FIERCE VIKING! Well sort of a Viking. Not really. BUT SORT OF! I was living in Kalmarunionen which is sort of Scandinavia now? And we had lots of leftover treasure from when they used to be Vikings but I was just a baby then. But this is a Roman coin! It was minted by Emperor Trajan, and it’s apparently very rare. It was used to pay soldiers! And they were so well paid with these coins that they couldn’t even use them in the markets. Heehee! Anyway, when the Romans got fought by the guys who lived in England already, they lost this, and then the Vikings went and raided and took all their treasure including this, and THEN it ended up in my town! And I took it SHUSH I’M JUST A LIL HOARDING DRAGON. So here you go I cleaned it up all nice. Happy Christmas! @frankiexvanderbilt

MISTER GRIFFLES! For youuuuuuuuu I have given you SOME OF MY BEARD! I am just joking. It is not my beard. BUT IT IS A DRAGON BEARD! That’s what it’s called. It’s candy! I tried to make it but I am not sure it’s completely as good as it could be if someone who actually knew how to properly make it made it BUT! AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE! It’s made of honey and such. And then I put more honey on it. IN CASE IT IS GROSS! D: But hopefully it will not be heehee. LOVE YOU! Share them with your fluff because they look like fluff. @griff-osbeorn

Miss Beautiful Jo my gift to you is returning your boots that I stole. BUT FOR A GOOD REASON! Because I have also got you some NEW BOOTS! YAY NEW BOOTS! I didn’t want to guess your size but I saw these and HECK THEY ARE SO PRETTY!!!!! They will suit you perfectly and hopefully they are sooooooper comfy. LOVE YOU FROM JACE. @professor-jo-augello

Mister Levi! Happy heckin Christmaaaas. I had noooo clue what to get you SO! HERE IS BOOOOZE! And some pants. They are gold. Dragons are very into gold. COUGH. Happy Christmas! @levixmatthews

Sweet Miss Lily, I wish you a super happy Christmas. For you I have this! Now I don’t know if you are allowed this BUT it folds up into a case! And you can hiiiide it away! And bring it round to the den and we can ROCK OUT YEA! But quietly for your ears. WOO! I didn’t know what music you liked so I have got you a subscription to a thing which sends you a record and a bottle of wine to enjoy it with every month! I know you don’t really drink but if you want we can do a swap and Master can have the wine and we can make you something! Or you can just come chill. IT WILL BE AN EXCUSE TO HAVE YOU OVER MUAHAHA YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE US happychristmasweloveyou. @liliana-cassily

Miss Qhuinn. You are a super lovely kind person. And I hope you have A LOVELY CHRISTMAS! This is for your horsie! I cleaned it up and polished it all nicely so it will be nice for him. Maybe we can go riding some time? That would be lovely. ANYWAY just so your horsie does not look prettier than you (not that that would be possible ever) there is some matching jewellery for youuuu. They belonged to a lovely Countess I used to know. IN THE BIBLICAL SENSE HEEHEEHEEHEEEE but don’t tell anyone it’s a secret shhhh. HAPPY LOVELY CHRISTMAS! Kisses. From Jace. Love you. @southernxwolf

Sweet Lovely Delicious Quinten! For youuuu! SOME DEVILISHLY GOOD COFFEE! Get it? Cus you’re an angel? But I know you like coffee so here is some DELICIOUS coffee. I am a bit of a coffee expert my old boss was a coffee ADDICT so I am great at picking it and he liked this one very much. HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!! @quinten-sawyer

Dearest Mister Rafael. I love you so much. I hope you had a lovely Christmas with all of us who love you. I will be using my present when I come over but here it is! I hope this will make you feel good for a little bit. I hope you don’t mind if I steal you from your Jaguar for a while. It is very special to have known you. There is some lovely massage oil and some incense and we will have a lovely night. @rafael-theonewhowanders

Miss Skyler! Happy lovely Christmas!!! I hope you had a lovely day and HERE is a gift for youuu! and also for me. IT IS TO MAKE YOU AS FLUFFY AS YOUR LOVELY FLUFFY BOYFRAAAAN! He calls you his fluff so here is EXTRA FLUFF FOR YOU also it is a bear. Heehee. LOVE YOU HAPPY CHRISTMAS! @skyler-campbell

Mister Maaaanspider best teacherrrr!!! HAPPY CHRISTMAS! I know this holiday is probably not SPOOPY enough for you but here is a present to SWEETEN the deal yes it is EIGHT POUNDS OF STARBURST because I see you eating them in class YEAH NO SNACKS IN CLASS MY BUTT MISTER SNEAKY SNACKER! Anyway these should last a while and now I am your FAVOURITE STUDENT MORE BLOWJOBS FOR MEEEE!!!! HAPPY CHRISTMAS I LOVE YOU GIVE YOUR HOT BOYFRIEND A BIG SNOG FROM MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE @inkstitches

Mister Scott, I have made you some kitten cuppycakes! I hope you like them! They are not a lot but my other present is... well I was hoping we could have a playdate sometime soon? I would like that a lot. HAPPY CHRISTMAS SIR! @xscottlandenbergx

Miss Tiffany! As it is Christmas and you are so fashionable I thought you would like to look like THE MOST HANDSOME CREATURE OF ALL! I had lots and lots of fun at your fashion shoot and if you ever need a model you know where I aaaam! HAPPY CHRISTMAS! @tiffanyxtalbot

Tommytommytommy! Happy Christmas!!!!!! I have got you MORE SKATEBOARDING GEAR because I tried it and oH BOY CAN YOU GO A BIT QUICK! So here is some stuff to keep you safe. I hope very much that you had a LOVELY HOLIDAY LOVE JACE! @tommyheavyshield

Miss Winter! THIS IS YOUR HOLIDAY!!!! YAAAAAY! I hope you are enjoying it! I didn’t reaaaally know what to get you so I have brought this! It used to belong to my witch, and she had it in her family for generations. And then when I was rescued from her I got all her stuff and I never really knew what to do with it but I think I would like for it to be used for good rather than hurting so here! I hope it is useful! Happy Christmas! @winters-lust

#christmas #daisyxlynch #xdakotawintersx #xdamienblackx #masterdominick #frankiexvanderbilt #griff osbeorn #professor jo augello #levixmatthews #liliana cassily #southernxwolf #quinten sawyer #rafael theonewhowanders #skyler campbell #xscottlandenbergx #tiffanyxtalbot #tommyheavyshield #winters lust

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maxigunther · 6 years

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I was tagged by a very lovely person, @fzhabsburg <333

Rules: Tag 10 Tumblrs you want to get to know better.

NAME: Marily GENDER: female STAR SIGN: Libra HEIGHT: 160cm?? which is apparently 5 foot 2 MIDDLE NAME: none PUT YOUR ITUNES ON SHUFFLE. WHAT ARE THE FIRST 6 SONGS THAT POPPED UP?: Out On the Town by Fun.

Broken Home by 5 Seconds of Summer (i’m sorry some of this stuff is from three years ago bare w me)

Nirvana by Sam Smith

Whiplash by Hank Levy from the Whiplash soundtrack

Hearts Don’t Break Around Here by Ed Sheeran

GRAB THE BOOK NEAREST TO YOU AND TURN TO PAGE 23. WHAT’S LINE 17?: "I think, girl, you’re seeing yourself clearly for the first time.” The Traitor’s Kiss by Erin Beaty EVER HAD A POEM OR SONG WRITTEN ABOUT YOU?: lol no but lowkey wish you know?? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU PLAYED AIR GUITAR?: uhh never?? i never remember doing it WHO IS YOUR CELEBRITY CRUSH?: if drivers are celebs (including those not in f1) thennnn maxi günther mostly and obvs pascal but m a x i WHAT’S A SOUND YOU HATE? LOVE?: i hate when forks screech on plates, people rubbing balloons (and also hate the feeling of rubber being chewed, i know bc when i had braces i had an elastic going from the outside of a top tooth to the inside of a bottom), the sound of coins (except the two dollar australian coin, there is a distinct difference in smell and sound) rubbing against each other (also really, r e a l l y hate the smell that coins/certain metals leave on my hands. idk i don’t have sounds i particularly like except for crickets or maybe they’re cicadas?? DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS? HOW ABOUT ALIENS?: yea ofc for both DO YOU DRIVE? IF SO HAVE YOU EVER CRASHED?: nope i don’t drive i’m fifteen WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ?: last book I read was The Traitor’s Kiss by Erin Beaty, last book I finished was Zeroes by like three authors who i’m not bothered listing DO YOU LIKE THE SMELL OF PETROL?: heck yes WHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU SAW?: The Stanford Experiment which I didn’t finish bc an FE race was on WHAT’S THE WORST INJURY YOU’VE EVER HAD?: i broke my right wrist (aka writing hand) when i was six bc i was on the monkey bars and slipped and the impact just broke my wrist i guess bc i tried stopping it DO YOU HAVE ANY OBSESSIONS RIGHT NOW?: motorsport and ice hockey i guess DO YOU TEND TO HOLD GRUDGES AGAINST ANYONE WHOSE DONE YOU WRONG?: lol no when i do try to hold grudges i forget within like,,, 20 mins that i’m holding a grudge against that person IN A RELATIONSHIP? lol no not interested at all either tbh

i tag @harlot-of-babylon and anyone else bc i feel like i’m overloading my mutuals w tags tbh (i’ve got one more coming)

#personal #not f1 #tag

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minervacasterly · 7 years

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With the Heart and Stomach of a King, She was a Rock that Bent to no Wind: How Queen Elizabeth I used her femininity to her advantage.

There are many quotes that you can find of Elizabeth I that are simply kick ass and help us understand what she was all about. She used her femininity and the status quo regarding women in power to her advantage and she was often pragmatic on issues of religion and foreign policy which ensured her a successful and long reign. That's not to say that she was flawless. Several historians have been critical of her policies, pointing out where she erred. However; we have to remember that we are looking at these events in retrospect, something that these figures didn't have the advantage of.

Queen Elizabeth was born in September of 1533, known as Princess for less than three years before her father annulled his marriage to her mother so he could marry again and sire a son. Elizabeth's only defendant during her childhood years as a royal bastard was her half-sister, the Lady Mary who also became a bastard after their father annulled his union to her mother to marry Elizabeth's. Mary didn't get along with Anne but she came to love her little sister and it was thanks to her advocacy that she was brought back to court and given new clothes after she outgrew her old ones. Elizabeth Tudor had less than an ideal life after that. Relying on her words and silence to keep herself out of trouble and enemy lines. Sometimes she was successful, sometimes she wasn't but one thing is clear: Seeing queens, including her cousin and stepmother, Kitty Howard, fall and annulled, taught her a lot. In her biography on the Tudors and Stewarts and Kathryn Parr, Linda Porter states that it was Henry VIII's last wife that taught Elizabeth everything she needed to know about female power. Kathryn Parr used her intelligence, her love of books, fashion, and cordiality to make herself into a powerful figure that was eventually appointed Regent (the only other one of Henry VIII's Queens to be given that position besides Catherine of Aragon) during his absence.

Fast forward to Mary I's reign. Edward VI's reign had been troubling for Elizabeth. Always a lover of fashion and cordial behavior, she soon learned how easy it was for someone to stain her reputation, even when she was an unwilling participant of Thomas Seymour's courtship. While some blame Kathryn Parr for letting this go, it is unclear just how far Thomas Seymour's attentions went. Sources, whether primary or secondary (written many years later and from supposedly eye witnesses accounts) suggest that it did go that far. Elizabeth would wake up earlier than her stepmother and her last husband so Thomas Seymour wouldn't sneak up into her bedroom. When Kathryn Parr died as a result of childbed fever, Thomas Seymour began to conspire against his brother and in no time he found himself in the Tower with a head short. Elizabeth was questioned along with her former governess, Kat Ashley whose husband reprimanded her for her encouraging Thomas Seymour's advances after his wife had died.

It is unclear what role she had in the Wyatt Rebellion or in the Grey-Dudley Protestant Regime before that. One thing is clear though, her words were her shield and her silence, her most deadly weapon. By distancing herself from the Grey-Dudley regime, she convinced her sister that she wasn't her enemy. Indeed, she even played a major role during her coronation, riding on a carriage of silver trappings with their former stepmother, Lady Anne of Cleves. But come the Wyatt Rebellion, she was questioned and so where her servants. Elizabeth never forgave her sister for this transgression. It was Philip of Spain, Mary I's husband's intervention that saved her. One can only imagine the stress that Elizabeth went through being lodged in the SAME rooms her mother once was lodged in for her coronation and later during her imprisonment as she awaited her death. When Elizabeth got out she was put under house arrest and carefully watched. During Elizabeth I's reign there were rumors that Margaret Douglas was responsible for Mary I's treatment of her half-sister. It is unlikely that Elizabeth I believed some of her cronies who spread these rumors in an effort to tarnish the Countess of Lennox reputation. There was very little truth in them. Mary I's actions were her own but like her, Elizabeth I couldn't afford to put all the blame of her. A House divided was bad for business. When Mary I rallied the commons and her noble supporters against Jane Grey and her supporters, she laid the blame of Edward VI's actions at their doorstep (especially on John Dudley, given that he had no royal connections unlike Henry Grey who was married to her cousin, Frances Brandon). And Elizabeth I was angry with Margaret Douglas at the time for having conspired against her to wed her eldest son to the Queen of Scots, so she was going to use whatever weapons she had to levy them against her. Elizabeth I's view on Mary's actions can be best examined by what she told the Count de Feria when he visited her at Hatfield, where most of Mary I's court had gathered, eager to please their future queen. She told the Spanish Count that she owed nothing to her sister seeing as she had served her loyally and she (Mary) had rewarded her loyalty by accusing her of the most heinous crimes and locking her in the Tower. While Margaret Douglas rose through the ranks of favoritism after Elizabeth was cast out of Mary's inner circle, it is unlikely that Mary would have ever considered doing what her half-brother did. In spite of her reservations towards her sister, she knew that in order to keep their grandfather's legacy going, another Tudor had to take the center stage and the best way to achieve that was to allow a peaceful transition of power so Elizabeth was kept in the line of succession. On November of 1558, eight months after Mary I had made her will, Elizabeth I became Queen. Like one of her namesakes and her great-grandmother, it is said that she received this glorious news while she was under an oak tree and as soon as she was given the ring of state, she quoted one of the psalms. "This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes." Elizabeth Tudor became the second Queen Regnant of the British Isles on Sunday, January 15th, 1559. he day began after Elizabeth made her way from the Tower of London, dressed in crimson parliament robes walking on blue cloth which had been laid for her all the way to the Abbey. The Spanish Ambassador, Feria, refused to be present but the Venetian Ambassador,Schifanoya was there and he reported everything he saw. According to him and other contemporary accounts, as Elizabeth made her way to the Abbey, there were stages erected for her that depicted once again her noble lineage through her father and his parents, and included Henry VIII’s collections of tapestries -especially one depicting the Acts of the Apostles based on the designs by Raphael. This symbolized the late Tudor monarch’s devotion and Bess further emphasized hers after she emerged from a curtained sector where she changed into her new clothes, and then was led by the Bishop of Carlisle to the stage where she was proclaimed Queen. The customary question was asked. If the people would like Elizabeth to be their Queen or not, and the people cried “Yea, yea!”. Then the trumpets sounded, the organs were played and the bells rang and Elizabeth and the Bishop descended to the altar where she knelt before it to hear the sermon and then took the oath. After this was said and done, she withdrew to the traverse to change for the final part in the ceremony, the anointing. She emerged wearing a kirtle of gold and silver. Prostrating herself before the altar, leaning on cloth of gold cushions, she was anointed on the shoulders, breast, hands, arms and forehead. Three crowns were placed on her head, after which she was completely arrayed in gold and to everyone who was there, she seemed indeed, seemed not human but like a golden figure, an icon, almost god-like as her father always tried to appear. Elizabeth ever the pragmatist, had intended to create a hybrid of the Protestant Church her brother had enforced on the population and the Marian Catholic reformed Church her sister had also tried to enforce. As Starkey explains: “It was now time of the coronation mass, which followed, with Elizabeth’s personally enforced innovations. The Epistle was read twice, first in Latin and then in English…. Then the bishop brought the Gospel. This too was read twice, in the old liturgical language and again in the Tudor vernacular, which has, to us, become almost as remote, beautiful as the Latin. Elizabeth now repeated her gesture of the day before and kissed the Bible -and, it is safe to guess, the English one.” Furthermore Jasper Ridley adds in his respective biography of Elizabeth: “After he [Bishop of Carlisle] had crowned her, a Mass was held in Latin; but the celebrant, her chaplain, spoke the words of consecration in English and did not elevate the Host.” The Coronation pardon was then given and the Queen traveled from Westminster Abbey to the Palace Great Hall to enjoy her coronation banquet. As she passed the great crowds, she greeted them with that same smile from her accession and it won them over again.

Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland continued with most of her half-brother and half-sister's policies while expanding the Protestant agenda. As previously stated, in matters of religion, Elizabeth I took on a pragmatic approach, not wishing to voice her support of the Netherlands or the Dutch, or even the Huguenots in France since they believed in a Republican government and hardly recognized the authority of a King over his or her subjects. Her animosity towards John Knox, the infamous radical Protestant preacher in Scotland stemmed from his controversial pamphlets published in 1558, the year she succeeded her half-sister, in which he condemned female monarchy. While John Knox tried to justify his remarks by stating that his attack was an attack on Catholic female monarchs and other women in power, and not exclusively on her, Queen Elizabeth I didn't let him so easily off the hook and during the remainder of her life, he wasn't allowed to step on English soil. Elizabeth I however, recognized his usefulness against her royal cousin, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots and when the latter interests no longer suited her own, Elizabeth I covertly supported the Protestant lords and religious leaders against her. During her last years, Elizabeth I began to disagree more and more with these types of radical preachers. She saw them as dangerous to the institution of monarchy. Parliament's powers had been expanded with her father, and while she relied on them, the two often clashed. Most of her lords sympathized with these radical preachers and when Elizabeth I wanted to punish them by giving them a harsher sentence, they intervened, guaranteeing they wouldn't be executed or spent a long time in prison.

Another area Queen Elizabeth I clashed with her subjects was on the issue of her royal cousin. Fiction often portray them as enemies and while they were, for some time, Elizabeth I seemed favorable to the idea of Mary, Queen of Scots succeeding her AS LONG as she married someone that Elizabeth I agreed with. She even sent her favorite, Robert Dudley but this option for Mary Stuart was too scandalous. Why? Because Queen Elizabeth I declared that the best way to ensure a happy union between the two was to move in with her. And as Anne Boleyn played by Natalie Dormer said in the Tudors, you can't have three people in a marriage. You just can't. Tired of waiting for a clear response, Mary, Queen of Scots accepted her other royal cousin's proposal to marry her eldest son, a handsome young man who was also a Stewart through his father and like Mary, descended from Princess Margaret Tudor via her second marriage to the Earl of Angus. The marriage as we all know, was disastrous and ended in tragedy. Mary was blamed for his assassination and in short time married one of his other alleged assassins, the Earl of Bothwell. Bothwell ended up abandoning her and her unborn children when the going got tough and when she was surrounded by enemies and former allies, she miscarried her twins and capitulated to her captors, abdicating in her son's favor. Queen Elizabeth I wasn't directly involved in King James VI of Scotland's upbringing but she received many reports regarding the young King. When the King heard of his mother's sentence, he appealed to the Queen in a way that didn't seem to side too favorable of her, but Elizabeth I ignored his request. In what has been described as one of Elizabeth's clever ways of excusing herself off her royal cousin's execution, she wrote to Philip II of Spain and other monarchs that she never intended for things to go this far and were it had been truly up to her, she would have never signed her execution warrant. The truth is, she did sign the execution warrant and she wasn't coerced or forced. Like with half-sister's actions, Elizabeth I's actions were entirely her own. However, her royal cousin's execution always haunted her. It was a difficult decision to make because she was one who valued royal authority above all else and this action set a precedent for future monarchs to be held accountable to their subjects.

Elizabeth I's last years have been under heavy criticism. The truth regarding the Armada's defeat is as much clouded in mystery as it is in propaganda. In the first episode of her documentary series "British History's Biggest Fibs"; historian, Dr. Lucy Worsley describes how successful the Tudor regime was in pushing their agenda and having their version of events become the official story. In his book entitled "Armada", the late Garrett Mattingly aptly described the events based on primary sources, letters and other documents, that resulted in the disastrous Spanish navy's defeat. For one, the Spanish vessels were terribly large which made them slower. The English ships were poised to shoot everything that moved and wasn't English and given the horrible weather, it was easier for them to hit their target. During this time, Elizabeth I gave her most famous speech at Tilbury where she said that while she had the "weak and frail" body of a woman, she had "the heart and stomach of a King" and a "King of England" at that! Like her father, Queen Elizabeth was a good public speaker and like her mother, she was subtle enough to know how to handle foreign emissaries, promising them nothing and also denying nothing. As a lover of fashion, she knew the power behind it and used her public image to replace previously beloved religious figures among the Catholic population. It was during these years that she came to be known as Virgin Queen, and using biblical and classical imagery that compared her to Deborah, Esther, Athena, Artemis and Hera, she used her status as an unmarried woman to become a pseudo-religious icon.

But not all was well in paradise. As she got older, her ladies and noblemen began to mock her and considered her efforts to become a nationalistic and religious symbol ridiculous. Some even went as far as to laugh behind her back and Elizabeth I responded equally by mocking them and humiliating them after they refused to obey her orders and tried to outshine her by wearing expensive bright colored gowns.

Elizabeth I did her best to cope with loss as she had done with other obstacles. The loss of her longtime favorite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester affected her greatly and so did her stepson’s betrayal, Robert Deveraux, the Earl of Essex. Before she became 50, her councilors once again continued to pressure her into making a royal marriage and while she continued to make vague promises to would-be-suitors, it is possible she might have entertained a married life but decided against it. Entering marriage would have meant giving up most of her freedoms. It would have meant that the question surrounding female monarchy would have come up again, with some of her husband’s potential foreign allies ruling in his favor, or worse, once she had a male heir, he would have moved against her in the same fashion as Mary Stuart’s last two husbands.

Elizabeth I always refused to name an heir. She always gave vague promises, and at times denied nothing nor promised anything, being as subtle as her mother and as you would expect a highborn lady to be. The reason why Elizabeth I never wanted to make her choice of an heir official, regardless of whom she favored at one point, was because she had seen how courtiers had flocked to her like vultures once they realized that her half-sister Mary I wasn’t going to live any longer. Elizabeth I was tired of political intrigue although she continued to fight the good fight and take on her enemies.

It was also during her last years that she looked for new allies. Catherine de Medici was one of her strongest allies/rivals, someone who deeply admired Elizabeth. It is possible that Elizabeth I also admired her. What other foreign woman who’d been previously scorned and mocked had achieved so much in so little time following her husband’s death and her sons’ ascensions? As Charles IX became more insecure, Catherine convinced him to appoint her Governor of France. This gave almost unlimited powers, allowing her to give orders in her son’s name, in spite of the fact that he had reached his age of majority long time since then. But regardless of their personal feelings, they were always set these aside in favor of their position and (in Catherine’s case) their offspring. Catherine de Medici had no qualms to act against her enemies, especially her former daughter-in-law’s maternal relative, the Guises who went as far as to encourage Protestant lynching when Catherine sided with Huguenots, including one of their leaders, Jeanne III of Navarre. "... Catherine de Medici had every cause to regret the bull against Elizabeth. Her goal, after all was the reduction of tension, not its increase. On 8 August 1570 the Treaty of St Germain finally brought peace: freedom of conscience and freedom of worship limited to certain locations ..." (Sarah Gristwood, Game of Queens) The St. Bartholomew Massacre left a bad taste in everybody's mouths, including Queen Elizabeth I and her councilors. Mary, Queen of Scots' execution had been the catalyst for the Anglo-Spanish war. Following the end of the Valois dynasty and the end of the Bourbon with the late Jeanne III’s son, Henry IV, becoming the new King of France, France once again became England’s ally. Henry IV thanked Elizabeth I for her support but as time went on, he sided with the major Catholic powers forming a Holy League against Elizabeth I that sought to depose her and install Philip II’s eldest daughter, Isabella Clara Eugenia.

Not cowed by her country’s forced isolation, she looked to the Middle East for potential allies. The woman who made this alliance possible was none other than Safiye Sultan. Like Catherine de Medici before her she had risen through the ranks due to being her husband (Murad III) chief wife and their son’s regent. And also like the former Governor of France, in spite of Mehmed III reaching his majority, she was still an influential figure who refused to let go of her position as her son’s consultant and adviser. She greatly admired a woman like Elizabeth I who used her single statues to bolster her image, and present herself as a virtuous, nationalistic and religious icon and an ideal substitute for the Virgin Mary -a figure whose cult had been very popular in England. When Elizabeth I became frustrated with her son, she wrote to her mother knowing that Safiye was the true power behind the throne. The two women exchanged gifts and letters, with Safiye congratulating Elizabeth for her victories and he gracious behavior towards her. “…both Murad III and Mehmed III’s reigns notoriously, was ruled mainly from the harem. Elizabeth had employed very similar tactics on Barton’s advice six years earlier in 1593, using Safiye as her intermediary in an attempt to influence the direction of the Hungarian war. At that time, her letter had been accompanied by a few handsome gifts, paid for by the Levant Company. These consisted of a ‘jewel of Her Majesty’s picture’ (possibly a Hilliard miniature) set with rubies and diamonds, three great tilt plates, ten garments of cloth of gold and a very fine case of glass bottles, silver and gilt.” (John Guy, Elizabeth I: The Forgotten Years)

Elizabeth I spent her last years looking back at her triumphs and failures, ridding herself of potential rivals and refusing to assure her councilors of anything that would reflect her personal opinion regarding who her successor should be. But she must have sensed the end as she once again saw the courtiers beginning to flock to James VI of Scotland, eagerly waiting for her to give her last breath. Elizabeth I sponsored many artists and play writers, including the famous William Shakespeare whose plays greatly contributed to the English language and gave us many phrases that we still use today. One of her favorite plays was Henry V because of the character of Falstaff. She found him the most likable of all of the play's characters. Like one of her ancestors, she began to identify with Richard II whose excesses led to his deposition and was the catalyst behind the wars of the roses that ended with the destruction of the Houses of Lancaster and York and the Plantagenet Dynasty. At she was quoted to have said: “I am Richard II, know ye not that?” Elizabeth I didn't like the way Richard II had been -and still was- portrayed and her opinion might have influenced Shakespeare to make him into a pitiful character. Besides considering his treatment of his subjects unjust, there was another reason why she might have identified with Richard II. Like her father, she firmly believed in the divinity of Kings and took her role as Head of the Church seriously. When she was told her sister had died and was presented with her royal ring, she quoted one of the psalms, saying that “this is the lord’s doing and it is marvelous before our eyes.” As God's representative on Earth, an act against her was an act against the Almighty. And also like her father, she shared his dislike for those who questioned royal authority.

Despite the various plots and opposition against her, Elizabeth I endured but she knew her time was coming and she prepared for it. On February 1603, she settled her affairs regarding her officials in Ireland, ensuring that the next monarch would have complete control of that Isle and that there would be no more disruptions from Catholic rebels or rogue officers. Nevertheless, she refused to appear weak before her ministers insisting that nothing was wrong with her. On the 24th of March 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died at Richmond Palace at the age of sixty nine. Ironically it was the same place her grandfather and founder of her dynasty had died ninety three and eleven months earlier. Elizabeth I’s Funerary Procession took place a month later, on the 28th of April. She was carried from Whitehall to Westminster Abbey where she was laid to rest on the Lady Chapel. “It was an impressive occasion: the hearse was drawn by four horses hung with black velvet, surmounted by a life-sized wax effigy of the late Queen, dressed in her state robes and crown, an orb and scepter in its hands; over it was a canopy of state supported by six earls.” (Alison Weir, The Life of Elizabeth I)

“Westminster” Chronicler John Stow wrote, “was surcharged with multitudes of all sorts of people in their streets, houses, windows, leads and gutters, that came out to see the obsequy.” After the Mass had ended, her household servants broke their white staves and tossed them at her tomb to symbolize the end of their allegiance. Truly, it was a sight to see and also a reminder than it was the end of an era. Gone were the days of the Tudors, now it would be the Stuarts who reigned. She was buried at the Lady Chapel that Henry VII had ordered be built for himself and his descendants, at Westminster Abbey. It was in this place where her paternal grandparents and great-grandmother and half-sister were also buried. Three years later, King James I decided to rebury her in a different vault and honor her memory by building a magnificent burial. Unfortunately, this monument didn’t include an effigy of the Queen’s sister, Mary I who was reburied with her. The plaque on her tomb reads the following: “Consorts both in throne and grave, here we rest two sisters, Elizabeth & Mary, in hope of our resurrection.”

Queen Elizabeth I remains one of the most celebrated figures in English history and considered one of the best monarch in world history. Often she will be reduced to a mere caricature in which she is either an angelic figure who could do no wrong or thrown off that pedestal it in favor of the other extreme that depicts her as Europe's greatest prostitute or as a boy. The "Bisley Boy" legend was first popularized by none other than Victorian and Gothic writer, Bram Stoker. Bram Stoker was fascinated by the legend and took it seriously. A few years ago, a mystery writer said that it was possible she could have been a man and what was his reasoning behind this? Nothing, except the usual "she didn't get married and she never had kids with her favorites". Here's a thought for these people: Do some research! Read the primary sources and then read well-researched books by historians and biographers who've also written extensively on this topic. In Anna Whitelock's biography on Queen Elizabeth I's court, "The Queen's Bed", she quickly debunks this bogus story by offering us an insight of what court life was like. Just think about it. Elizabeth I was surrounded by women day and night. As Queen Regnant, she was dressed by her ladies and undressed by them. She was even attended during her bath. Don't you think some of them would have noticed she was a man if indeed she was? I know people love a good conspiracy once in a while but come on! Also, just because she didn't get married and possibly wasn't intimate with her favorites, doesn't mean she was a man. Her reign was unique given that she refused to marry, but given her past experiences and how England wasn't (fully) used to the idea of female monarchy, we can see why she chose to take this route.

Elizabeth I's reign continues to fascinate many people and it is proof that sometimes the impossible can become possible. She became Queen when she was twenty five years old. Her reign lasted forty-four years, outlasting that of her father and the other Tudors. Known as “Glorianna”, “Good Queen Bess” and “the Virgin Queen” for her refusal to marry, she also had one colony in North America named after her. She is the third longest female monarch in English history and to some, one of the most important women in history. In his biography on Elizabeth I, David Starkey says that what differentiated her from her sister was that while Mary “aimed for a heavenly crown; Elizabeth aimed for an earthly one.”

Sources: 1. Elizabeth: The Struggle for the Throne by David Starkey 2. The Life of Queen Elizabeth I by Alison Weir 3. Game of Queens by Sarah Gristwood 4. Elizabeth I: The Forgotten Years by John Guy 5. Tudors vs Stewarts by Linda Porter 6. Katherine the Queen: The Life of Katherine Parr, Henry VIII's last Wife by Linda Porter 7. The Queen's Bed: An Intimate Account of Elizabeth's Court by Anna Whitelock 8. Tudor by Leanda de Lisle 9. The Private Lives of the Tudors by Tracy Borman

#Elizabeth I of England and Ireland #Tudor History

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